Monday, February 28, 2011

(¯`'•.¸ • More Than Monday • ¸.•'´¯)

An oceans distance between us for our entire lives until recently. Miles of separtion disolved with one brief encounter 3 years ago. And any divisioins of space & time that once existed vanished with a two minute phone call. I'm inspired by two sisters, a genuine & dear friendship that has grown, a token of that relationship that arrived at my doorstep on Saturday and how it all came to be.
Molto Grazie Mia Due Angeli !!!


Inspiration comes in different ways on different days for all of us...
...What inspires you ?

Friday, February 25, 2011

Fun Facts Friday

A Little Brain Power to Last a Lifetime... 

Nutrition plays a critical part in a baby's brain development. Breast milk offers the best mix of nutrients for promoting brain growth. Starting at about 6 months of age breast-fed baby's should receive some type of iron supplement. Infant cereals that are iron fortified are a perfect way of giving baby this very important mineral.  Baby's who are bottle fed should be given formula that contains iron.


Did You Know?
Research has clearly linked iron deficiency to cognitive deficits in children. Iron is critical for maintaining a healthy level of  red blood cells that carry oxygen, which is the fuel your child need for brain growth. It has been proven that children who endure iron deficiency actually have smaller brain mass.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Sunday, February 20, 2011

More than Monday

I was going through some photo files I had on my computer and came across this image. It took all of one minute to be filled with a true sense of perspective...inspiring!!!


Inspiration comes in different ways on different days for all of us...
...What inspires you ?

Friday, February 18, 2011

Fun Facts Friday

And a pinch to grow an inch...or 10"

Did you know?

In their first year a baby can grow on average a
whopping 10" (25 cm) in length and can triple their birth weight. After the one year mark a baby's growth continues but does slows considerably. And while watching all of the fantastic growth and changes baby's go through, one of the most amazing facts by far is that baby's grow faster in the Spring season then any other time of the year.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

I'm in the SISTERHOOD!!!

What a FABULOUS REWARD and she arrived early this morning. I want to send a huge thank you to Linda owner and creator of "Nun-of-a-Kind". Linda was making a custom order for one of her many clients and put out a request on her blog for name suggestions. Who ever came up with the name she selected would win one of her fantastic and whimsical "Sisters". I've always loved the "Sisiters" so i got busy coming up with entries and I was the lucky enough to win. She sent me a special thank you and asked me to pick my favorite "Sister" and she would send it to me as the winner. Well I thought I can do that...there ALL amazing and I just couldn't choose so when I finally narrowed it down to 4 I told her how much I loved them all and that which ever one of the 4 she sent I knew I would be thrilled...but she did something SO generous SO fantastic and SO fun I had to share it!!! Meet "Sister Minnie Mox" it's me all rolled up into one sweet "Sister"...she loves cooking, sewing, she's a little hormonal and all around fun loving...LOL - she's amazing and i have to say Linda and to anyone who is considering giving one of these "Sisters" as a gift they are beautifully crafted and full of charm. Thank you again Linda for making my own special "Sister Minnie Mox" I love her and i love that I am an honorary one-of-a-kind part of the "SISTERHOOD"!!! Thank you again Linda you made this so extra special for me.

sorry for the poor photo - I am running to the doctor's this morning i will try to take a better one later to replace it.

Monday, February 14, 2011

(¯`'•.¸ • More Than Monday • ¸.•'´¯)

The Art of LOVE...

So many artists have inspired the world with their visions of love, here are a few of my favorites...











Inspiration comes in different ways on different days for all of us...

...What inspires you ?

Friday, February 11, 2011

Friday Fun Facts

Tickle your funny bone...



Did You Know?
Babies are born with approximately 300 bones. These bones eventually fuse and grow together to create the 206 bones found in the adult body. Some of a baby's bones are made of soft, flexible cartilage, allowing them to be less prone to bone breaks when learning how to roll over, crawl and walk. This explains the common saying that babies are made of rubber.




Tuesday, February 8, 2011

MINI-MOCS BABY TALK REWARD ZONE ARTICLE #2

 It's Nap Time!
From 1 year to 2 years of age most babies will start to take only one nap a day. This change can be a big adjustment, affecting baby's temperament which will ultimately affect yours. One of the tell tale signs that your baby maybe ready to make the transition from 2 naps per day to 1 nap per day is if they sleep sound through one and is resists taking the other. When you see signs of resistance it's a good time to start moving toward reducing baby's nap to 1 per day. It is important to watch your child's behavior as your making this transition to determine if they are truly ready to make the switch. Rushing your child into this is not good for your baby or for you. For younger babies morning naps are crucial for biological reasons. Morning naps tend to be deeper and include REM sleep which is important for very early brain development. While sleep is still very important by the time baby reaches 12 months they don't need quite as much. Remember the ages listed here are a range for average age development, your baby is an individually unique person. If you have questions always consult your pediatrician.

Your baby needs 2 naps a day if... 
  • they are less than 1 year old. Very few babies younger than 1 can make this transition easily and should not be rushed into it.
  • they resist going down by playing, talking or fussing yet   always end up falling asleep and nap for an hour or more.
  • a ride in the car almost always puts them to sleep.
  • not taking their nap results in fussy or cranky behavior.
  • they display mood changed including fussiness or even tantrums with 3 to 4 hours after waking in the morning.
Your baby may be ready for 1 nap a day if...
  • they play and fuss for more then a half hour before falling asleep and then only nap for a short time.
  • car rides in the morning or early day don't coax them to sleep.
  • they remain cheerful even if they miss their nap and stay that way until their next nap time or bedtime.
  • they sleep sound for only one nap a day and stay awake or are restless during the other.

Tips for a successful transition...

Don't think of it as "one less nap" per day. It's really just a change in scheduling. It's best that the new nap take place at a time that is between the two previous nap times. Because baby is now only napping once a day, this new nap should last longer than either nap prior but most likely not as long as the 2 naps combined.

Keep your baby busy with activities until 30 minutes before nap time including being outdoors as much as possible. Give your baby a healthy snack this will allow them to start to wind-down prior to their nap. It may be helpful to divide lunch into 2 sittings, one half before nap and the other half after.

Your child will let your know when they are ready to nap such as yawning or rubbing their eyes. Responding to these signs quickly will help your baby make the transition easier which means much less chance of  them getting overtired and having tantrums or having to cry themselves to sleep.

In the beginning you may want to still have two set times a day as part of a routine. One should be a time dedicated for sleep the other should be a quiet restful time. If your baby falls asleep during the quiet time it's best to wake them gently after about an hour. If you allow them to sleep longer than that it could effect their night time sleep pattern.

One thing to keep in mind is that even after you've made the transition from 2 naps to 1 there may still be days when an extra nap is needed, pay attention to these signs and give baby what they need.

*this article was written using information gathered while doing research on the Internet. prior to implementing any of these recommendations you should consult your child's pediatrician .
_________________________________________________

ITALIAN TRANSLATION

E’ ora della nanna Dai 12 ai 24 mesi, la maggior parte dei bambini fa un solo pisolino al giorno. Questo rappresenta per loro un grande cambiamento, che può influenzarne l’umore e può avere conseguenze anche sul vostro. Uno dei segni eloquenti che indica che il vostro bambino è pronto a compiere la transizione da 2 a 1 pisolino al giorno, è la resistenza ad addormentarsi durante il giorno. La comparsa di tale resistenza è un buon momento per iniziare a muoversi verso la riduzione di un solo riposino al giorno. E 'importante osservare il comportamento di vostro figlio per rendere questo passaggio definitivo e per capire se effettivamente sono davvero pronti a fare lo switch. Anticipare i tempi sarà negativo per il tuo bambino o per voi. Per i più piccoli,i sonnellini mattutini sono fondamentali per ragioni biologiche. I pisolini mattutini tendono ad essere più profondi e comprendono il sonno REM che è importante per lo sviluppo del cervello. Mentre il sonno è sempre molto importante per i bambini che devono raggiunge i 12 mesi hanno bisogno di molto riposo. Ricordate i tempi qui elencati sono un range di età media di sviluppo, il vostro bambino è una persona individualmente unica. Se avete domande consultate sempre il vostro pediatra.

 Il vostro bambino ha bisogno di due sonnellini al giorno, se ...

• ha meno di 1 anno di età. Un numero esiguo di bambini di età inferiore a 1 anno riesce a rendere questa transizione semplice e a non risultare affrettata.
• resiste a giocare, parlare o agitarsi ma finisce sempre per addormentarsi e schiacciare un pisolino per un'ora o più.
• un giro in macchina quasi sempre lo mette a dormire.
• non fare il pisolino, lo rende agitato e dal comportamento irritabile.
• mostra cambiamenti di umore tra cui capricci ed agitazione anche dopo 3 o 4 ore dopo il risveglio al mattino.

Il vostro bambino può essere pronto per 1 pisolino al giorno, se ...

• gioca e si agita per più di mezz'ora prima di addormentarsi e poi pisola solo per un breve periodo.
• giri in macchina la mattina o nella prima parte della giornata non lo inducono a dormire.
• rimane allegro anche se perde il suo pisolino e resta così fino alla prossimo riposino o sino alla nanna serale.
• dorme solo una volta al giorno e resta sveglio o è inquieto durante gli altri sonnellini.

Suggerimenti per una transizione di successo ... Non pensare che sia"un pisolino di meno" al giorno. Si tratta solo di un cambiamento nella programmazione. È meglio che il nuovo sonnellino si collochi in un tempo intermedio tra i precedenti. Poiché il bambino dormirà una sola volta al giorno, questo nuovo pisolo deve durare più dei quelli precedenti , ma molto non tanto quanto fossero 2 sonnellini insieme. Tenete il bambino occupato con diverse attività fino a 30 minuti prima dell'orario del pisolino, ad esempio stare all'aria aperta il più possibile .Prepara al tuo bambino un sano spuntino che gli permetterà di iniziare a rilassarsi prima del pisolino. Può essere utile dividere il pranzo in due sedute, una metà prima del pisolino e l'altra metà dopo. Il vostro bambino fa intendere di avere sonno sbadigliando o sfregandosi gli occhi; dare risposta a questi segni rapidamente aiuterà il vostro bambino a semplificare la transizione ciò implica che i bambini facciano meno capricci, non siano eccessivamente stanchi o debbano piangere per addormentarsi. Cambiare l’ora del pisolo può essere fatto più semplicemente se fin dall’inizio si pianificano due diversi momenti nella giornata per far riposare i bambini: uno in cui farli dormire e uno in cui farli rilassare. Se in questo secondo momento il bimbo si addormentasse, sarebbe meglio non farlo dormire per più di un’ora, in quanto potrebbe poi fare fatica ad addormentarsi alla sera. Una cosa da tenere a mente è che anche dopo aver fatto il passaggio da 2 a 1 riposino ci possono essere ancora giorni in cui un pisolino supplementare sia necessario, prestate attenzione a questi segni per dare al bambino ciò di cui ha bisogno.


* Questo articolo è stato scritto utilizzando le informazioni raccolte, ricercando su Internet. Prima di attuare una qualsiasi di queste raccomandazioni è necessario consultare il pediatra del bambino.

Monday, February 7, 2011

(¯`'•.¸ • MORE THAN MONDAY • ¸.•'´¯)


Several years ago I had been stricken with a bout of bells palsy...the left side of my face was paralysed  for about 6 weeks. Each week after the first 2, the symptoms continued to subside slowly. 95% of the paralysis completely left my face...still a bit of a drooping eyelid & lip when fatigue or stress settles in. My left eardrum however has suffered slight permanent damage. Well this past Sunday afternoon while working, I was listening to music as I usually do. A certain setting on the volume dial is what is most comfortable for my ear which no longer has the ability to muffle certain tones...but because I was in a bit of a feisty mood after a rough several days I "cranked up the volume" way past the comfort zone.  I made a wonderful discovery...a group the I have LOVED forever didn't cause my ear the same pain that so many others do...a new passion for LOUD music, a new inspiration was found in... 
(¯`'•.¸ • Can't Buy Me Love • ¸.•'´¯)  by the BEATLES


Inspiration comes in different ways on different days for all of us...

...What inspires you ?

Friday, February 4, 2011

Fun Facts Friday


It's right there in Black & White...


Did You Know?

All newborns are far-sighted at birth, at close range they see only shadows. At about 10 weeks of age a babies cone of vision increases from 30 degrees at birth to 180 degrees. Although at this age a baby cannot see minute detail, they are strongly attracted to points of high contrast. Playing with toys that are primarily black & white or wearing black & white clothing is wonderful way to stimulate your baby's senses. Introducing as much black & white into your baby's surroundings for the first six months of life is truly benficial. High-contrast colors (black,white & red) easily capture & hold a baby’s attention. This encourages visual development along with physical activity – such as kicking, waving their arms and wiggling about. One certain thing that experts and parents both agree on is that along with high contrast items one of baby's favorite points of focus is their parents faces — which works out really well because parents love to look right back at baby.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

MINI-MOCS BABY TALK REWARD ZONE ARTICLE #1

Article #1 running dates 9:00am February 1, 2011 to 9:00 pm February 4, 2011
Winner will be posted & notified by facebook message on February 5, 2011

Persuading the Gift of Gab...

Although most babies will start with cooing, that leads to babbling, that turns into talking by the time they are toddles, some of them need a little persuading.

A child’s ability to comprehend doubles by the time they are 18 months old and their vocabulary expands every day. Your time and encouragement are important for give your toddler the confidence and a desire to develop a more involved form of communication.

Tips for encouraging a little chatter…

Touch and say the name of everything you and your toddler come in contact with… ie: crib, toy, table, chair, door etc.

Read to your child starting at a young age. This will help them develop an understanding of emotion in speech. Inflections in the voice are crucial to help stimulate the development of communicating successfully. 

When babies “babble” they know what they are saying… this makes your vocal responses along with lots of direct eye contact & smiles very important. Your vocal responses give your child the confidence to continue communicating with sounds as they develop their lingual skills.

Until baby learns how to say words correctly try not to correct them but instead simply say the word again in a cheerful manner. Including colors and numbers in when saying words can help increase vocal skills. ie: red apple, green grass, two shoes etc…

You can build their verbal confidence even more by helping your child to understand the meaning of what they are saying. Examples of this would be giving your child a towel from the dryer and saying “warm towel” while they are touching it or a bottle from the fridge and saying “cold milk” while they are taking a drink. You can use this method to teach opposites as well, such as “big and little”, “empty and full” and up and down.

When you give choices verbally rather than holding items for your child to pick from you encourage verbal responses. Ask them “would you like an apple or an orange?” and then wait for the vocal response. You should not give more than 2 choices. You may have to repeat the questions a couple of times. Always use a happy tone in your voice.

As your child is learning words, mispronunciation or using the wrong word for an object is normal and should not become a focus for correction. Too much correction can be frustrating for your child and can result in a child’s vocal development slowing.

Most importantly remember that every child develops at a different pace. Comparing your child’s vocal skills to that of another may only cause unnecessary concern. Developmental concerns should always be addressed with your child’s pediatrician.

Written by: Annie Boyer, CCD / CEO of Mini-Mocs, Inc.*This article was written using information gathered while doing research on the Internet. Prior to implementing any of these recommendations you should consult your child's pediatrician.

_________________________________________________________________________________

ITALIAN TRANSLATION

Incoraggiare l’eloquenza...

Sebbene la maggior parte dei bambini inizia con la lallazione, che porta alle prime paroline balbettate, che si trasforma in seguito nella vera e propria espressione linguistica dal momento che sono piccolini, alcuni di loro potrebbero avere bisogno di un po’di persuasione.


La capacità di apprendimento di un bambino raddoppia dai 18 mesi e il loro vocabolario si espande ogni giorno di più. Il vostro tempo e l’ incoraggiamento sono importanti per dare al vostro bambino la fiducia e il desiderio di sviluppare una forma più completa di comunicazione.

Consigli per favorire un po’ di chiacchiere ...

Toccate e pronunciate il nome di tutto ciò con cui voi e il vostro bambino venite in contatto ... vale a dire ad esempio: lettino, giocattoli, tavolo, sedia, porta, ecc...

Leggete storie al vostro bambino sin da piccolo. Questo lo aiuterà a sviluppare una comprensione delle emozioni e a parlarne. Le Inflessioni della voce sono fondamentali per contribuire a stimolare lo sviluppo dicomunicare con successo.

Quando i bambini "balbettano" sanno cosa stanno dicendo ... questo rende le vostre risposte vocali, insieme al contatto visivo diretto e ai sorrisi molto importanti. Le vostre risposte vocali danno al bambino la fiducia per continuare a comunicare per sviluppare le proprie competenze espressive.

Fino a quando il bambino non impara a pronunciare bene, non provate a correggerlo ma semplicemente ripetete la parola di nuovo con allegria. Includere i colori e i numeri nelle parole da dire può aiutare ad aumentare l’ampiezza linguistica, vale a dire: mela rossa, verde prato, due scarpe, ecc ...

È possibile aumentare la loro confidenza verbale, aiutando il bambino a comprendere il significato di ciò che sta dicendo. Esempi di questo tipo sono, dare al vostro bambino un asciugamano appena ritirato dall’asciugatrice e dire "asciugamano caldo", oppure toccare una bottiglia presa dal frigo e dire "latte freddo", mentre lo beve. È possibile utilizzare questo metodo per insegnare opposti , come "grande e piccolo", "vuoto e pieno", e “su e giù”.


Chiedere di prendere una decisone piuttosto che invitare ad una partecipazione passiva, incoraggia il bambino a dare risposte verbali. Chiedete a loro "desideri una mela o un'arancia?" E poi attendete la risposta vocale. Non si dovrebbe dare più di 2 opzioni. Potrebbe essere necessario ripetere le domande un paio di volte. Utilizzate sempre un tono di voce felice .

Mentre il bambino sta imparando parole nuove, errori di pronuncia o l’uso di una parola sbagliata per chiamare un oggetto è consueto e, non deve diventare obiettivo di correzione. La correzione può essere molto frustrante per il bambino e può portare ad un rallentamento nello sviluppo verbale.

E’ importante ricordare che ogni bambino si sviluppa con un ritmo diverso. Confrontare le capacità verbali di un piccino a quella di un altro può solo provocare inutili preoccupazioni. Tali preoccupazioni per lo sviluppo verbale dovrebbero essere comunque sempre affrontate con il pediatra di vostro figlio.


Scritto da: Annie Boyer, CCD / CEO di Mini-MOCS, Inc.
* Questo articolo è stato scritto utilizzando le informazioni raccolte durante ricerche su Internet. Prima di mettere in atto qualsiasi di queste raccomandazioni è necessario consultare il pediatra del bambino.